A Dance With The Devil
by StoryTellerWoman
Summary: When Lana must dance an impossible dance, the Phantom becomes her partner. Will shame follow the couples routine or will applause sound on the stage?


"Lana McFlock. Come to the front."

I groaned to myself as I walked toward Madame Giry. Ballet rehearsal was not going as I planned. I wanted to stay behind all of the girls but today Madame felt like picking on the weakest member.

I stood at the edge of the grand stage and looked out to the empty audience then I turned my attention to Madame.

"Yes?"

She smiled at me, which was never a good sign.

Different poses fell from her mouth and I did each one to my perfect extent. Each pose got harder then she told me to dance each pose. I knew what she meant. This season I was the only senior ballerina, which meant that I had to be able to perform better than all of the younger ballerinas and it also ensures that I would have all the main ballerina roles. Yay me.

Meg watched from beside her mother, the two retired ballerinas watching the new star unfold.

Madame clapped her hands and had me bow, "Very good my dear."

She turns to the younger girls, "This is who will be your mentor. Watch her. Learn from her. You're all dismissed except you Lana."

I groaned again and waited for the others to go.

"You my dear will have to perform to the Para de Deux alone."

My head snaps in her direction. "You're kidding right? No one can do it alone!"

Madame shakes her head at me, "You will have to practice even more for you only have three weeks to do this task."

With that she and her daughter left me on stage stunned. I knew how to do the dance with a partner. But doing it alone is suicidal. The jumps and spins alone could kill a person in a duet but alone?!

I slummed down onto the stage, the help shutting off the lights. They left me a single candle, which was all I needed.

I stood up and prepared myself for a long night. I warmed up not only my legs but my voice as well. I could sing a little and I never flaunted it. Miss Daae was the diva not me.

I started humming a melody that I heard her singing once, trying to harmonize with the memory of her singing.

I started off by twirling around in circles, my feet staying on the ground. As I gained momentum I was able to jump and spin. This was my typical warm up. I started slowly with my eyes closed. In that instant I felt arms around my waist.

My eyes open to a man with a white mask on his face. He's covered in black and he's spinning with me. He smiles down at me as we twirl together. I try speaking but the intense look in his eyes prevents me. He follows my every step even helping me spin. Dancing with this man felt heavenly.

My humming has never stopped and he harmonizes with me as our feet are. Our dance never seems to end as we twirl as one person.

My voice finally speaks up, "Excuse me, sir, but my feet are starting to hurt."

The man smiles down at me and slowly stops our spinning. He steps away from me and bows like a gentleman. I bow as well but when I look back up he's gone. I felt my heart sink. He was a graceful man.

I sank to the middle of the stage. He must have been in my mind.

The next morning I got up for morning practice. One of the girls was talking about my mystery man.

"They sat he's the Phantom of the Opera. Everything bad has happened to us but not Miss Daae."

Then another girl pointed out some other people, "What about Lana? And the Girys? They haven't been hurt at all."

They glared at me.

I stretched my body, taking their glares. The Phantom of the Opera? Was he the man that danced with me?

I started spinning slowly; Madame Giry stopped me with her hand on my shoulder.

"Lana we need to talk."

I bowed my head in respect, "Of course."

She led me away from the others.

"My dear, have you seen the Phantom?"

"I think I might have. A man danced with me last night. He was graceful Madame! His voice was beautiful. He dresses strangely though."

She sighed, "You meet the Phantom last night my dear. He is obsessed with Miss Daae. Be careful."

I shook my head, "Madame, the man I danced with was gentle. The Phantom is a monster."

"Which ever lie you believe, be careful Lana."

Practice resumed. I danced for the girls and they tried to counter my moves with better ones but they fail.

Again the lanterns are turned down at night and the stagehands leave me two candles this time.

I begin to hum what Miss Daae was singing to Meg today, "Angel of Music."

I kept humming the phrase as I danced. I closed my eyes for a second and when I opened them the man I had danced with was there. I stopped in front of him and bowed low.

"What did you say" his musical voice asked.

I started to shake from his presence, "I only quoted Miss Daae sir. She sings beautifully and I just try to match her voice. Is that a crime?"

"In truth it is one. You dance beautifully and without fear you should be able to dance this Para de Deux alone."

I blush "Sir the Para de Deux is a dance for two. The woman has to jump many times and the man must catch her. I have to jump with no one to catch me and as you can see I'm scared."

He smiled down at me, "Then you may want a partner? One that on one will see?"

My feel my eyes widen, "You'll be my partner?"

He circles me, his cape he wears fluttering in his own mind, "I'll be become your partner but you mustn't say anything to anyone understood?"

I look into his eyes and nod. Why do I feel like I am under a trance?

He grabs my hand and spins me, my feet automatically point and rise up.

We continue to practice all night, his voice a melody in my head as he dances with me.

A week later, the opening of the ballet show has arrived. Madame Giry has practice helping me with my "falls". What she doesn't know as she helps me into my black and red tutu, the man called the Phantom is waiting in the wings. He told me countless times that I would be ruined with him as my partner. My response was to dance to him, showing him that I do not care what Society thinks of me. I was willing to dance with him.

Miss Daae sang a few notes then the orchestra started my entrance.

The setting was magnificent. Marble columns lined the stage. I would have to dance around these.

Madame Giry hugged me, "You'll do wonderful."

I bowed and spun out to my audience. My hair was in the tight bun that it was use too. My feet were clad in simple black ballet slippers. I did a few turns around the columns. I looked out to my audience and bowed like I had rehearsed. The conductor held his baton with ease. He would add the music to my own demise.

The music started again. I let my body take over. I did jumps and spins landing on tip toes. I was ready for the Phantom. In the middle of a spin, I stop and look up to him. The audience follows my eye sight. Women gasp and faint.

There he is. He matches me tonight. Our only performance together. His suit is like those in the audience but he has a blood red vest on. His jacket is already off. His black half mask is on. He is a devil that is so handsome. He holds a rope in his powerful hand.

He jumps, swinging down to dance with me.

The orchestra continues to play, worried notes come out of their instruments, but the conductor only plays. I'm ruined not him.

He lands by my side. He stands towering over me, a glint of evil in his eyes, "Hello my ruined flower."

I smile and start our true dancing.

The scene for my demise is quite complex: I am the girl of his dreams. He is the devil, promising me anything I could dream. When I run scared he chases after me, down a one kneeing asking for me alone. When I accept, we dance in the burning flames that surround us.

I jump and land in his arms. He sets me down and I spin out of his arms. Once again he chases me around the stage; he captures me, and holds me.

I look out to the audience, my last look. I start to sing to him.

"My devil, take me to your world of hate. A world where hope fails. I am yours."

I close my eyes. My one last spin comes up.

He twirls me until only he and I are one. I spin away from him. He waits as I jump up in the air, a powerful jump.

I am caught by his arms that are outstretched above his head. My body goes into a twisted form in his arms, the dream girl finally captured by the devil.

The music stops but we hold for a silence.

Instead applause roars in my ears. The Phantom sets me down and we bow together. He brings me to him and whispers, "Demise is never the last course. You did beautifully. I must go though."

I turn to him, "You're leaving me?"

He smiles down at me, "Only for awhile my flower. Enjoy your applause. I will be in your dreams."

He grabs the rope that he had been hiding by a column and swings away. Another gasp from the women.

I smile and bow.

I look to the stage; Madame Giry's mouth is in a pleased smile. She knew all along.

Was he only in my dreams or was the Phantom my new partner?

Either way I was a new woman, more daring.

My last saying to my audience was, "Thank you Angel of Music."

I could hear his musical laughter.

Let Miss Daae have the Phantom, I had a dance partner in my own Phantom.


End file.
